Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-05-27
lisgarvan Chimney.

VI nhppcntu. Dun lol lnhl same accl-
dent | don't think Katie an | would be
man an wife this day for you see my
father was set again the match, Katie
being only a laborer's daughter, while
ne himself was foreman in the mills,
getting good wages, and thought
good deal of by his employers. An if
/ wasn't for Kate don't think I'd be
here now TO tell YOU about il, for twas
she that saved my life. through hitting
lAlpon plan that never once came into
ie heads of me or OF my comrades
aye, or of those that you'd have thought
would know better than any of us.
WAS not brought up 10 my fathers
trade, having been taken. when young.
by brother of my mothers master
bricklayer living in the town. When
my uncle died l came to LiSgarvan for
bit, just TO see my father. and finding
that they were al work on the new
buildings at the mills, i looked for
employment there, an got it at once
Lisgarvan mill is a flour mill. and q
pretty place it was in those DAYS. with
he river running just by the old red
brick buildings, an the big water
wheel always going round an round.
The river falls into larger one a little
down, an the tide comes up as far rs
The mill, so It's in boats that most of
he corn is brought in. an the -four
carried away. 'T,sn't half so pretty a
place now; there are BIZ whitcwashel
buildings alongside of the old brick
ones, the big wheel is stopped. an YOU
hear the whirr of the engine instead of
The sound of the water. But they make
power of money there an gives
deal of employment.
As was saving, got taken on as
oricklayer. Katie's father was work
ng there. too. an used to see her
bringing him his dinner, and. after
bit, | began TO think that I'd like to
have her bringing me NINE, too. She
was as pretty girl then as you'd see
anywhere good-loOking to this
day-sn' | soon became that fond Of
her that I'd done ANYTHING smost, TO
get her. She herself was willing
enough; twas nv father that made the
difficulty. He was proud man, as
proud in his way a. any gentleman, an
ne was T ght down mad at the notion
Of my marrying a laborer's daughter.
TO be sure. Twas earning good wages
might have married without asking
any one leave if I'd been 20 minded,
but ddn' like to 90 aga n the old
man that hal always been good to me.
Besides, Katie was just a. proud As
himself, an would have nothing to say
20 me unless he was satisfied. | got
the master TO speak TO him. but sure
.wasn' bit of use. How would
like, sir says he TO the master,
II had a daughter. to have Master
Philip take up with her. an wouldn't
hat be the same th.ng?" | believe
The master did not Tn nix ii would be
all the same thing; but my father
would not hear reason from him any
more than from me; so Katie an l had
just nothing for il but to wait in the
hope of his coming round. an very
little hope we had of that same.
AS We were putting up a steam en-
gne in the mill. We had, of course. to
have a big chimney. an we got man
down from town TO build it-one of
them chaps that builds chlmneys an
nothin else. an thinks nobody knows
anything about il but themselves. |
was working along with him. and in
deed. twas that built the most of it,
an r ght good job it was. Twas
finished by Christmas--ten years ago
this Christmas coming on-all but the
lightning conductor and that was not
put up, owing to the masters wanting
10 make inquiries when he'd 60 to Lon
don an see for msslf what would be
The best kind 10 use. The master was
scientific sort of gentleman. an had
ideas of his own--sometimes they be
better than other peoples, sOmctim es
not so good. At any rate, there was a
delay about the conductor. an in the
meantime the engineers were at work.
an the big chimney was smoking away
like blazes Mr. Brown, the strange
workman, had gone away, saying very
condeseending like that he was sure
Jim FOrde (that was me) would be able
to fasten the rod to the chimney "a well
as he could do it himself. He took all
his scsifolding with him. but before he
went away he fixed b.am with pull
lev to it to the top of the chimney. an
left a long rope hanging through it. so
that man could be hoisted up at any
time; an there the rope hung dangling.
week after week. until the master come
home, bringing the rod along with
him.
Once it had come there was no good
losing,any more time in fixing it up, SO
one Saturday afternoon in January, up
went on a plank, slung securely at